2017 Canadian Consulting Engineer Awards
St. Mary’s River Aquatic Habitat Feasibility Study
Presented to:
Canadian Consulting Engineer
80 Valleybrook Drive
Toronto, Ontario M3B 2S9
April 20, 2017
ST. MARY’S RIVER
AQUATIC HABITAT FEASIBILITY STUDY
2017 Canadian Consulting Engineer Awards
PROJECT OUTLINE
75-WORD SUMMARY
Environment Canada retained Morrison Hershfield
(‘MH’) as prime consultant to complete a feasibility
study for creating and/or augmenting rapids,
aquatic habitats, wetlands, and tributary
watersheds on the St. Mary’s River (‘River’). The
project presented unique challenges which
required innovative design concepts as well as
internal and external coordination to produce
sound restoration solutions. The area is highly
visible and accessible by the community and the
solutions provide more aesthetic, nature trail and
informative signage opportunities.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Environment Canada (EC) plays a key role in
delivering on the commitments of the Canada- U.S.
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The
binational agreement was amended in 2012, and in
doing so, both countries reaffirmed their
commitment to restore Areas of Concern (AOC).
There are currently 9 AOCs in Canada, 25 in the
United States, and 5 that are shared by both
countries; including the St. Marys River (SMR). Part
of EC’s responsibility involves restoring Beneficial
Use Impairments (BUIs) within the SMR AOC
through the development and implementation of a
Remedial Action Plan (RAP). One of the notable BUIs
was the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat, and the
Stage 2 RAP proposed remedial actions to address
it.
The primary objective of this study was to
determine the feasibility of creating and/or
augmenting rapids, aquatic habitats, wetlands, and
tributary watersheds within the study area of the
SMR. The overall objective was to create, enhance,
and/or restore aquatic habitat within the AOC. The
focus of this study was on the feasibility of the
restoration efforts and needs based on
geomorphological processes, fish communities and
fish habitat (ecology) and economic considerations,
as well as constructability.
There were three broad areas within the SMR AOC
where geomorphological assessments and
ecological studies have been conducted in order to
identify areas where restoration efforts are feasible
and generally include:
• Area 1 - Canadian sections of the Big Rapids
and Whitefish Island.
• Area 2 - Brookfield Power tailrace and areas
immediately downstream along the SMR
waterfront boardwalk, including
confluence with Fort Creek; and
• Area 3 - Examination of 8 major tributaries
which flow into the SMR.
Within each of the broad areas listed above, the
empirical physical measurements to determine the
geomorphic and ecological feasibility of restoration
were determined. Following field data collection for
each of these areas, analyses was carried out to
determine how habitats could be created and/or
enhanced from their existing conditions and which
options were more feasible than others considering
a variety of factors. The potential approaches for
restoration were all assessed in order to identify
and determine the constructability aspects
including techniques, methods and materials and
from this, general costs were ascertained and the
sites prioritized with respect to ecosystem benefits
and overall costs.
A total of five conceptual designs were developed.
The designs were evaluated on their physical,
ecological and economic viability and on their
overall benefit to the SMR study areas and to the
AOC. While more detailed information across a
variety of disciplines is required to fully assess what
recommendations can be successfully
implemented, this study evaluated the baseline
conditions using a weighting system for each of the
sites.
ST. MARY’S RIVER
AQUATIC HABITAT FEASIBILITY STUDY
2017 Canadian Consulting Engineer Awards
The results of this feasibility study can be used to
support future discussions, studies, and projects
with respect to creating and/or restoring habitat in
a manner that realizes the greatest ecological and
economical gains based on what is physically
feasible, and thus enhance available habitat usage,
create new spawning opportunities, restore natural
geomorphological features and diversify in-water
habitat structure for fish species and aquatic
organisms indigenous to the SMR and its tributaries.
Doing so will contribute to restoring the Loss of Fish
and Wildlife Habitat BUI.
PROJECT INNOVATIONS
The primary objective of this study was to
determine the feasibility of creating and/or
augmenting rapids, aquatic habitats, wetlands, and
tributary watersheds within the study area. The
overall objective was to create, enhance, and/or
restore aquatic habitat. The focus of this study was
on the feasibility of the restoration efforts and
needs based on geomorphological processes, fish
communities and fish habitat (ecology) and
economic considerations, as well as
constructability.
The project presented unique challenges which
required innovative design concepts as well as
internal and external coordination to produce
sound restoration solutions for some relatively un-
developed areas. Project success stemmed from
detailed project planning, a multi-disciplinary
approach and an experienced team of professionals
with a thorough understanding of the challenges
being faced to restore once very productive areas of
the Great Lakes system.
As part of the study process, MH encouraged First
Nations representatives to contribute feedback and
historical information about the study areas in
order to gain an understanding for the restoration
plan. We created and fostered a strong relationship
with representatives which reduced the helped
facilitate stakeholder approvals.
Typically projects of this nature have a smaller study
area to focus on and do not require the level of
research, field work and consultation. MH created a
sound strategy for managing the project as well as
developing a project plan that included the client
and key stakeholders, which held all parties
accountable to stay in line with the objectives of the
study and keep the project on schedule and budget.
LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY AND PROJECT
CHALLENGES
A total of five conceptual designs were developed,
narrowed down from 11 potential sites which
spanned an area of over 55 km of river. The
implementation of enhancement and restoration
opportunities within the watershed was a complex
and long-term process, requiring the cooperation of
many agencies, including the international
community as well as local community groups and
First Nations.
With the scale of this project one of the more
challenging aspects was the need for political and
community support. This support was essential for
the projects to be successfully implemented as
many different stakeholders have a variety of goals
and visions for the watershed and prioritization of
objectives from a wide range of concerned parties
can be difficult. This feasibility study has been
completed with the aim of ensuring the
involvement of interested agencies, First Nations,
and international working groups as a means to
encourage both public and community
organizations to work cooperatively.
Often with projects of this magnitude, the high
costs associated with design and implementation
through to construction may deter agencies and
organizations from getting involved and supporting
the initiative. However, having heavily developed
areas along the banks of the SMR, most notably
Hydro operations and Essar Steel, provides the
opportunity for multiple stakeholders to
collaborate on the project and diversify the fund
allocations rather than focusing on funding the
ST. MARY’S RIVER
AQUATIC HABITAT FEASIBILITY STUDY
2017 Canadian Consulting Engineer Awards
project from a single entity. This project helped to
identify potential funding sources and outline ways
to get them involved with restoration efforts in the
future.
CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIAL AND/OR ECONOMIC
BENEFITS
The Whitefish Island conceptual design scored
ranked as the most feasible option. Whitefish Island
is relatively undisturbed when compared with the
highly altered and developed industrial areas in its
immediate vicinity. As the traditional lands of the
Batchewana First Nation, who own and manage the
lands as well as it being a National Historic Site
(Parks Canada), this area offers an excellent natural
setting providing great opportunity to re-create and
enhance conditions to replicate those which
historically existed.
From a physical standpoint, the works generally
involved removing previously constructed weir-type
structures with channel bed and banks being
restored to natural condition, thereby improving
geomorphic function through improved flow and
sediment transport capability. The physical
structure of the existing berms used to define the
lower portion of the channel are replaced with
more natural materials, further restoring the site to
a more natural condition. The removal of a large
beaver dam in order to restore flow to an existing
riffle feature, and the creation of a cascade will
further improve geomorphic form and flow
properties within the site.
Economically this option proves to be very cost
effective. The overall benefit would be significant as
the location of Whitefish Island is in an area
identified as impaired and a number of BUIs
identified by the RAP could be addressed with the
design and historical functions of Whitefish Island
could be restored. The area is highly visible and
accessible by the community which provides more
aesthetic, nature trail and informative signage
opportunities.
CONTRIBUTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Ecologically, the conceptual design would result in a
significant improvement to the existing conditions.
While diverse wetlands exist at the west to middle
of Whitefish Island, and critical spawning and
nursery areas are prevalent within the Whitefish
Channel, there is opportunity to further enhance
these areas. Opportunities which could create and
diversify habitat, naturalize engineered features,
remove barriers which alter habitats to restore
natural function and allow for unobstructed fish
passage, as well as re-introduce wetland habitats
and create a more functional and productive
transition area from Whitefish Island to the SMR at
its east limits. These restoration opportunities could
be designed to help fulfill many of the BUIs outlined
in the RAP and can result in a significant increase in
spawning and nursery habitats for a diverse array of
fish species, benthic invertebrates as well as
improve habitat for wildlife and create protected
waterfowl nesting sites.
MEETING CLIENT’S NEEDS
Environment Canada (EC) plays a key role in
delivering on the commitments of the Canada- U.S.
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement binational
agreement. Amended in 2012, both countries
reaffirmed their commitment to restore Areas of
Concern (AOC). There are currently 9 AOCs in
Canada, 25 in the United States, and 5 that are
shared by both countries; including the St. Marys
River (SMR). Part of EC’s responsibility involved
restoring Beneficial Use Impairments through the
development and implementation of a Remedial
Action Plan. One of the notable BUIs was the Loss of
Fish and Wildlife Habitat, and the proposed
remedial actions to address it.
The primary objective of this study was to
determine the feasibility of creating and/or
augmenting rapids, aquatic habitats, wetlands, and
tributary watersheds within the study area of the
SMR. The overall objective was to create, enhance,
and/or restore aquatic habitat within the AOC. The
focus was on the restoration efforts and needs
ST. MARY’S RIVER
AQUATIC HABITAT FEASIBILITY STUDY
2017 Canadian Consulting Engineer Awards
based on geomorphological processes, fish
communities and fish habitat (ecology) and
economic considerations, as well as
constructability.
The potential approaches for restoration were
assessed in order to identify and determine
constructability aspects including techniques,
methods and materials. General costs were
determined and the sites prioritized with respect to
ecosystem benefits and overall costs.
The results of this feasibility study is being used to
support future discussions, studies, and projects
with respect to creating and/or restoring habitat in
a manner that realizes the greatest ecological and
economical gains